Valve mechanism for bottle-cleaning machines



Nov. 26, 1929. a. J. MEYER 1,736,973

VALVE MECHANISM FOR BOTTLE CLEANING MACHINES Original Filed Jan. 24, 1925 2 Sheets-Sheet l WITNESSES M tim ATTORNEZ Nov. 26, 1929. G. J. MEYER 1,736,978

VALVE MECHANISM FOR BOTTLE CLEANING MACHINES Original Filed Jan. 24, 1925 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 WTNESSES 1 VENTOR 8 U ATTORNEY- Patented Nov. 26, 1929 UNITED STATES PATIENT OFFICE GEORGEJ'. MEYER, 0F MILWAUKEE, WISCONSIN. ASSIGNOR TO GEO. J. MEYER MANU- FACTURING COMPANY, OF MILWAUKEE, WISCONSIN, A CORPORATION OF WISCON- VALVE MECHANISM FOR BOTTLE-CLEANING MACHINES Original application filed January 24, 1925, Serial No. 4,455. Divided and this application filed November 17, 1927. Serial No. 233,925.

The invention relates to bottle cleaning machines and more particularly to the valve mechanism for controlling the washing and rinsing operations.

An object of the invention is to provide a bottle cleaning machine including mechanism by which valve means are automatically controlled for furnishing timed intermittent washing and rinsing sprays and manually controlled coincident with the starting and stopping of the machine.

Another object of the invention is to perfect details of construction generally.

The invention further consists in the several features hereinafter set forth and more particularly defined by the annexed claims.

In the accompanying drawings, Fig. 1 is a side elevation of a bottle cleaning machine embodying the invention;

Fig. 2 is an elevation of a water controlling valve, parts being broken away and parts being shown in section; v

Fig. 3 is another elevation of the valve showing part of its controlling mechanism; and

Fig. 4 is a top plan view of the valve and part of its controlling mechanism.

In these drawings, the numeral 25 designates a frame of suitable construction supporting angle and channel guides 26 on which travel the rollers 27 of conveyor chains carrying transversely extending rows of bottlehclding pockets 28. The bottle conveyor thus formed is moved intermittently, step by step, by impelling means 29 engaging the chains for moving the conveyor in its guides in the direction indicated by arrows. The conveyor includes upper and lower horizontal flights which move in opposite directions, and a descending flight at one end of the machine adjacent which loading and unloading devices 30 and 31, respectively, are disposed for attention by the same operator.

The lower flight of the conveyor travels through a soaking tank 32 within which the bottles move in upright position submerged in cleaning solution, and in their further travel to the upper flight of the conveyor, the bottles become inverted and drain their contents back into the tank.

After thorough draining, the now inverted bottles in the upper flight of the conveyor are rinsed and raised out of the conveyor pockets 28 to carry them against and between rotary cleaning brushes 34 for outside andbottom brushing, following which the bottles pass over spray pipes 155 provided with conical guides 156 to receive the necks of the inverted bottles. The bottles are then given an inside brushing by rotary brushes 35 following which the bottles receive further rinsing operations. The bottles are then allowed to drain during the remainder of their travel so that they are practically dry by the time they are discharged from the descending conveyor at the end of the machine.

The bottle washing machine is driven with any suitable source of power, such as an electric motor 82. In the present instance, the motor 82 is connected by a belt 84 with a pulley 7 8 mounted on a shaft 79 through which power is transmitted to various parts of the machine, such as the conveyor-impelling mechanism and the bottle-clamping and brush-lifting mechanism. An idler pulley 85 is journalled at the upper end of a swinging arm 86 and is adapted to engage and tighten the belt 84 when power is to be transmitted. The arm 86 is pivoted intermediate its ends on a pin 87 and has its lower end connected by a reach rod 89 to an operating lever 90 in convenient reach of the attendant at the loading station, sothat a pull on the lever 90 will serve to swing the arm 86 in a direction to tighten the belt. 'A latch mechanism 95 co-operating with the lever 90 serves to retain the lever in belt-tightening position against the pressure of a coiled spring 93 acting on the reach rod 89 for urging the idler-carrying arm 86 to belt-loosening position. Braking means 97 co-operates with the lever 86 to act on the pulley 78 'for preventing the creeping and slow rotation of the pulley when the belt is loosened.

The brushing and rinsing operations are performed during the pauses in the travel of the bottle conveyor and it is accordingly desirable to have timed valve means controlling the rinsing and outside watering to permit water to flow at the proper moment in the cycle of operation. It is also desirable to shut off the water supply simultaneously with the stopping of the machine. In the present instance, a single valve means is used for both the automatic and manual control above indicated.

The valve mechanism, which is shown generally in Fig. 1 and more in detail in Figs. 2, 3 and 4, includes a valve which is preferably of the balanced type as best seen in Fig. 2. A water supply pipe 120 leading from service mains communicates with an air chamber 121 secured to the frame of the machine by a flange 122. The valve includes a valve body 123 which is supported in communication with the lower end of the air chamber and has vertically movable therein a balanced double valve member 124. An operating shaft 125 is j ournalled transversely in the valve body on a horizontal axis and carries a forked lever 126 engaging the valve stem for effecting the valve movement, a light spring 124' being preferably placed on the valve stem to insure the positive closing of the valve. A projecting part of the shaft 125 outside of the valve body carries a cam lever 127, and an outlet pipe 128 is connected to the valve body and leads to the various rinsing and outside watering sprays, including the spray pipes 155.

The reach rod 89 hereinbefore noted controlling the belt-tightener or clutch passes adjacent the valve and has secured thereon near the valve a collar 129 provided with a vertically disposed slot 130. A vertical longitudinally reciprocatory bar 131 is hooked at its lower end to provide an upwardly extending part 132 slidably passing through the slot- 130 in the collar 129. The main portion of the bar 131 carries a cam shoe 133 which co-operates with the cam lever 127 con trolling the opening and closing of the valve. The bar 131 is lifted through suitable linkage to open the valve during the pauses in the travel of the bottle conveyor, and lowered to permit closing of the valve when the bottle conveyor is to be advanced.

lVhen the reach rod 89 has been pulled forward by the operating lever 90 to place the machine in operation, the cam shoe 133 on the now reciprocating bar 131 is placed by the reach rod in a position in which the shoe may engage the underside of the cam lever 127 and periodically open the valve to establish the flow of rinsing water to the bottles. During the vertical reciprocation of the bar 131 the lower hooked part 132 thereof slides in the slot 130 in the collar 129 on the reach rod. Should the reach rod be pulled forward in starting the machine at a time when the bar 131 is partially lifted, the sliding engagement of the cam shoe 133 with the cam lever 127 will then serve to open the valve immediately for furnishing the required sprays. WVhen the reach rod 89 is released in a direction to stop the machine, the cam shoe is then laterally displaced to a position completely free of the cam lever 127, and the valve then closes under the influen'ce of the spring 124 to shut off the rinsing water. The air chamber.121 serves to prevent water hammer during the periodic closing ofthe valve.

By means of this invention, a single valve is both automatically operated for furnishing the rinsing and outside watering sprays and manually operated to control the water supply simultaneously with the operation of starting and stopping the machine.

This application constitutes a division of my co-pending application for bottle cleaning machines, Serial No. 4,455, filed January 24., 1925.

What I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. In a bottle washing machine, a valve mechanism for controlling the passage of fluid to the machine comprising a valve including an oscillating lever, a reciprocating member adapted to engage said lever for producing an intermittent flow of fluid throu b said valve, and manually-operated means or controlling the placement of said reciprocating member to operative or inoperative posi tion with respect to said lever.

2. In abottle washing machine, a valve mechanism controlling the passage of fluid to the machine comprising a valve having an oscillating lever, a reciprocating member adapted to engage the end portion of said lever for effecting the intermittent flow of fluid through the valve, and manually-operated means for effecting the placement of said reciprocating member to either operative or inoperative position, such movements of said reciprocating member taking place laterally of its normal reciprocating movement.

3. In a bottle washing machine, a valve mechanism for controlling the passage of fluid to the machine comprising a valve including an oscillating lever having a laterally extending terminal portion, a reciprocating member adapted to engage said laterally extending portion of the lever for effecting the intermittent flow of fluid through said valve, and manually-operated means for controlling the placement of said reciprocating member to operative or inoperative position with respect to said lever.

4. In a bottle Washing machine, a valve mechanism for controlling the intermittent passage of liquid to the machine, comprising a valve including an oscillating lever, a reciprocating actuator, a manually-controlled rod extending transversely of said actuator and adapted to guide it, and a finger secured to said actuator and adapted to engage said valve lever for controlling the intermittent flow of liquid through said valve, the placement of said finger to operative or inoperative position with respect to said valve lever bein determined by said manually-controlled r0 5. The combination, with a fluid-utilizing machine, of a valve for controlling the passage of fluid to the machine and including a movable member, a periodically reciprocating member having an operative connection with said movable member foreflecting an intermittent flow of fluid through said valve and means for controlling the placement 0% said reciprocating member in operative or inoperative position with respect to said movable member, said operative connection including means for displacing said movable member upon the movement of said reciprocating member to operative osition with respect to said movable mem er, whereby to actuate said valve as a 'irst step in the periodic operation of said valve.

6. The combination, with a fluid-utilizing machine, of a valve for controlling the passage of fluid to the machine and including a movable member, a periodically reciprocating member engageable with said movable member for effecting an intermittent flow of fluid through said valve, and means for controlling a the placement of said reciprocating member in operative or inoperative position with respect to said movable member, said reciprocating member including a portion having a cam engagement with said movable member, whereby to permit initial actuation of said valve as a first step in the periodic operation of said valve when said reciprocating member is moved to operative position with respect to said movable member.

7 The combination, with a fluid-utilizing machine, of a valve for controlling the passage of fluid to the machine and including a movable member, a periodically reciprocating member having a cam portion engageable with said movable member for effecting an intermittent flow of fluid through said valve, and means for controlling the placement. of the cam portion of said reciprocating member in operative or inoperative position with respect to said movable member, said cam in its movement to operative osition with respect to said movable mem er engaging and displacing said movable member, whereby to effect initial actuation of said valve as a first step in the periodic operation of said valve.

In testimony whereof, I affix my si nature.

GEORGE J. ME R. 

